Tobacco Looper

Description:

This beautiful blue- grey noctuid moth has a wing span of about 30 mm. It has shimmering wings with tinges of brown and a silvery "8" shaped pattern and a small "s" on each fore wing. It rests with its wings tented up as in pic 3. There are tufts of dense upright setae on the the head and dorsal aspect of the abdomen, which make the moth very attractive in profile. Hind wings are a plain silvery grey.

Habitat:

Spotted under bright lights near suburban gardens.

Notes:

The larvae of these moths are considered an agricultural pest as they attack a variety of food crops ( see reference). It is very unusual to see this moth resting with its wings flattened out as in pic 1. I did not recognise this moth as a tobacco looper until it pulled backed its wings to the usual narrow shape. Family: Noctuidae Subfamily: Plusiinae